His gay, smiling mouth had set itself sternly; the beautiful boyish face had become a man's.
"I thought so, too," he said gently.

"But I know now that what I feel for you isn't friendship.

It's"-- with a short, grim laugh--"something much more than that.

Tell me, Sara--will there ever be any chance for me ?" She hesitated.

She was so genuinely fond of him that she hated to give him pain.